7:20 My mlb.tv is all messed up on the desktop, so I can’t watch the game on the TV, so I’m on the laptop. I tuned just in time for the first pitch, and since then it hasn’t gone so great. Joba walked the leadoff on a full count and his since given up a run. At the moment there are two outs with a man on first, Blue Jays up 1-0. He’s already thrown 24 of his 70 pitches. Not a good start.
7:23 3-1 to Matt Stairs. This 70 pitch limit in itself isn’t what’s absurd, it’s the fact that everyone knows it, including the Blue Jays. Is anyone in the world surprised that their hitters are laying off everything, trying to push Joba to 70 by the second inning? Granted he has to throw strikes to get them to not do that, like any starter does, but it’s ridiculous to tell the other team how many pitches you are allowing your starter.
7:27 Another walk, his third. I don’t want to say that I know he’s nervous or uncomfortable, but he’s not locating.
7:27 They’re calling the pen. This could be a very short blog post. Although, Dan Geise is warming up in the pen, who just got called up and will be interesting to watch too, especially in what will be a long relief role.
7:29 K to end the inning on 99 mph heat. According to the hype, the first three batters were supposed to go down that way, on 9 total pitches for the inning. I, naturally, am let down.
7:31 Damon with a leadoff triple. He’s been on a tear lately. I don’t have the numbers because I’m trying to squeeze in dinner in between tops of innings, but I’ll get them later. (Michael Kay just mentioned in a very timely manner that Damon is on a 12 game hitting streak. Thanks, Mike.)
7:34 Jeter hits a slow roller to third. 0-1 with RISP tonight for the Yank. If I made this a drinking game I would get so loaded. Not just tonight, but every game. Last night they were 3-16
7:35 Joba on the bench in a hoodie. He’ll be back in the second. He looks like a basset hound.
7:38 Halladay hit A-Rod with a curveball. He doesn’t seem like the guy who would hit someone on purpose. I don’t mean that in a “He wouldn’t protect his guys” kind of way, but just in a “He seems too efficient” kind of way.
7:39 Matsui singles in Damon. 1-3 RISP. He’s been on fire too. Also no numbers for him at the moment.
7:40 Giambi singles in A-Rod, 2-1 Yankees, 2-4 with RISP. Alright!
7:41 Cano ends the inning. Let’s see how Joba does with a lead that’s not in the 8th inning. They say he has great mound presence and everything, but I can’t imagine the amount of pressure he’s feeling right now.
7:47 Two away after a flyout and a strikeout. He seems to have calmed down. He also seemed to have controlled his emotions a little after the strikeout. This at bat represents the first time he’s faced the same batter twice in the same outing, and the first time he’s pitched more than 40 pitches in one outing. He’s at 54.
7:48 Flyout, 1-2-3 second for Joba. I wonder what it’s like to get hit by a 99 mph fastball.
7:53 I hate sideline reporters.
7:55 Damon doubles as the sideline reporter airhead interviews Joba’s dad. What a waste of time and attention those interviews are.
7:58 Jeter flies out. He’s 0-2 with RISP.
8:04 The Jays waited Joba out and he’s out in the third. Dan Geise makes his debut in a minute.
8:16 Bottom third, 2-2. Geise looked alright. Quick delivery.
8:19 Matsui goes the other way, so he’s 2-2. He is pretty consistent but always manages to stay under the radar. I wonder why.
8:20 Giambi and some of the guys started growing moustaches a week or so ago, and since Giambi started hitting better, he decided to keep the stache. He looks pretty ridiculous.
8:22 It’s not David Eckstein’s fault that he’s on my crap list, I suppose, it’s baseball announcers and writers from a few years ago who labeled him as “scrappy.” I think this is a stupid description. It’s supposed to mean it’s someone who plays hard, usually is pretty good on defense, hits lots of singles (or so it seems, anyway), maybe they steal some bases. It for some reason gives me the impression that the person falls down a lot while they field or run. The reason why it’s silly is because it always seems to describe someone who is short or skinny. In other words, it’s a skinny guy who plays hard. Why don’t we just say that they play hard? “Scrappy” is discriminatory and I won’t stand for it.
8:29 Eckstein is up to bat now, and Michael Kay just said “He doesn’t look like a great player, he doesn’t have great skills, but he was a World Series MVP.” How can those both be true? You can’t be in baseball if you “just try hard”, which is what announcers seem to say about “scrappy” Eckstein. He is clearly a good player to be in the majors, obviously to win a World Series MVP.
8:33 Al Leiter doesn’t know the difference between “less” and “fewer”.
8:35 I just realized that there’s only one out in the top of the 4th, and the game is already an hour and a half old. So much for a reasonable bedtime tonight. Damn patient hitters. More importantly, this half inning has gone on for so long I haven’t been able to refresh my refreshments since the last commercial break, long, long ago.
Post game The game got out of hand when the Yankees bullpen came in the game. Geise took the loss, giving up one. Veras gave up two and Ramirez gave up four as the Yanks fell 9-3.
Even though he didn't pitch last night, I think this is appropriate to post. From ESPN's Page 2:Ten things that make Yankee fans nervous:
1. Kyle Farnsworth entering in a tie game in the eighth inning.
2. Kyle Farnsworth entering with a one-run lead in the eighth inning.
3. Kyle Farnsworth entering with a two-run lead in the eighth inning.
4. Joe Girardi saying that he's not "afraid to use [Farnsworth] at any time."
5. Girardi saying "Farnsy has thrown the ball very well for us all year long, and you're probably going to see Farnsy in that situation a lot."
6. Kyle Farnsworth warming up in the bullpen.
7. Kyle Farnsworth walking out to the bullpen before the first inning.
8. Kyle Farnsworth driving up to Yankee Stadium before the game.
9. Kyle Farnsworth pretty much doing anything other than brawling with Paul Wilson.
10. Kei Igawa.
No comments:
Post a Comment